Can Arizona child care facilities get free lead testing?

ADHS lists these facility types as eligible: public schools, charter schools, "Private and public childcare facilities," "Home-based childcare programs," and "Head Start and Early Head Start programs."

The funding comes from a federal program. ADHS says the testing is "part of a nationwide effort established under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016," which "allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide funding to states to test for lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities." ADHS follows EPA's 3Ts toolkit: training, testing and taking action. ADHS also says participation is voluntary, and that there are no federal or state regulations in Arizona requiring schools or child care facilities to test. Our page on whether Arizona schools have to test for lead covers that legal picture.

In four steps, according to ADHS.

1. 1Enroll and list your taps. You complete the enrollment survey and build a tap inventory. ADHS recommends testing "all areas where water is used for cooking or drinking," including kitchen sinks, water fountains and water filling stations. The inventory is used to build your mail-out test kit, and you are notified when it ships.
2. 2Collect the samples. "To collect your water sample, fill one water bottle per tap." A courier picks them up, and ADHS provides instructions and a sample collection video. Samples must be shipped back within 14 days.
3. 3Laboratory analysis. Samples are analyzed using EPA Method 200.8. ADHS notes that "this program does not analyze water for contaminants other than lead."
4. 4Results. You receive an email with a copy of your lead results, an explanation of the results and next steps, and a parent notification letter. ADHS encourages you to share them with employees and parents. Because the program is federally funded, ADHS also posts the results on its website.

The samples are first-draw samples. ADHS describes them as taken after water has been sitting in the pipes for 8 to 18 hours, which shows the highest level the water could carry. Follow the ADHS collection instructions on timing, and tell staff before the day you sample.

ADHS uses the EPA action level of 10 parts per billion for follow-up. ADHS says "A result above 10 ppb is a signal that the facility should take steps to reduce lead in the water," and that "A single test shows the lead level at the time of sampling, and lead levels can change during continued use throughout the day." Results under 10 ppb can still contain lead, so ADHS lists low-cost habits for every facility: use cold water for drinking, cooking and formula; flush taps after the building has been unused, for 1 to 5 minutes; designate one tested "clean tap"; clean aerators and strainers; and use a certified lead-removal filter if needed.

Two special cases matter in a child care room:

• Handwashing-only taps. If lead is found at a faucet used only for handwashing, ADHS says posting a handwashing-only sign is an acceptable solution and retesting or remediation is not required. The sign must be "appropriate for the ages of the children."
• Hot water. CDC advises: "Only drink or cook with cold tap water, as warm or hot water can have higher lead levels." Boiling does not reduce lead.

A result at or above 10 ppb means the tap stops being used for drinking or cooking, and ADHS arranges follow-up sampling. Our page on how schools fix fountains that test high for lead walks through the repair options, which apply to a child care sink or fountain the same way.

ADHS says that for facilities other than public school districts, it "intends to use WIIN Grant funding to cover the cost of remediation." Public school districts with results above 10 ppb are directed to the Schools Facilities Board for a Building Renewal Grant. Funding depends on availability, so ask ADHS before ordering parts.

Say so when you enroll. ADHS notes that under the new Lead and Copper rule, a water system "may also offer to test your drinking water," and tells facilities that if they decide to enroll in the ADHS program they should notify their water system.

ADHS lists a program email, waterscreening@azdhs.gov, and phone number, 602-364-0720. The page was current when we checked it on the date above, but programs and funding change, so confirm eligibility with ADHS before you plan around it.

An ADHS announcement from June 2023 described the same program with a different screening level than the current page uses, so use the current program pages for numbers. For a licensing-side look at child care restrooms and handwashing sinks, see what a childcare operator should verify about restroom and handwashing plumbing.